Iron Man Helmet Info Series:  The Mark II

When Tony Stark went from his Mark I armor design to the Mark II, the comics and movies diverge in a few distinct ways. Looking at both Iron Man Mark II helmet versions reveals major differences.

The comic version was more evolutionary, while the movie version was more revolutionary.  Let’s begin with the comic version.

Iron Man Mark II Comic Book Version

Tony only used his first suit for that initial escape from his Vietnamese captors in the world of comics.  His second version was very similar to the original but instead of a silver- ish sheen it was gold plated (at least in color, although if anyone could afford that much gold it would be Stark).

This is why I call it an evolutionary design, essentially just an updated and recolored version of the Mark I.  The helmet design was identical as well, even keeping the open mouth holes and eye slits.

Subsequent interpretations of this design incorporated more updated technology in the interest of telling the story with more of a modern flair.  For instance, this Iron Man helmet version was given a rebreather to allow Iron Man to operate underwater and featured sealable eye slits as well to protect his vision in some comic writer’s reimaginings.

This version of the helmet also boasted communication arrays that allowed Tony to speak to authorities or more likely The Avengers.

*If you want to see a really cool collectible, click to see this Iron Man helmet set*

Mark II Movie Version

In the first Iron Man movie, Tony scraps the idea for his first suit in favor of an all new and much more revolutionary design.  The idea is that with more time to plan and additional resources, Stark was able to build a suit that was sleek and functional while proving to be a force to be reckoned with.

The color of the movie version of the Mark II resembled very much the sheen of the comic book version of the Mark I.  Brushed and polished aluminum and the first introduction to Stark’s onboard AI known as J.A.R.V.I.S. were the newest features in this updated version.

A complete departure from his initial design, this armor featured a helmet with head up display to show pertinent information on the environment as well as what’s going on with power levels and weapons capabilities with the suit.

Here’s an Iron Man Helmet (Mark II) video:

This version also had extended flight capability and more weapons than a small police department.  Armaments included missiles, machine guns and flares to dissuade enemy missiles from locking onto him,

The Mark II Iron Man helmet had no external openings save for times when the front of the mask flips up to reveal the pilot or allow him to converse on a more personal level.  A bright glow obscured the eyes, a function of the head up display shown to Stark while the suit was in operation.

Although the differences are major in the approach to the Mark II Iron Man armor, each has a place of honor among the fan faithful.

Next up is the Iron Man helmet (Mark III) with armor details- stay tuned!